Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device with external contact elements and a method for producing a plurality of the devices. Electronic devices of this type have a housing made of a plastic composition, the external contact elements being disposed in a distributed fashion on an external side of the housing.
Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 100 31 204 A1, corresponding to published U.S. patent Application Ser. No. 2003102538 A1, discloses a leadframe for such a device with external contact elements. The devices are manufactured in large numbers and applied by their external contact elements to circuit carriers of superordinate circuits. To that end, the external contact elements are electrically and mechanically connected to corresponding contact pads of the circuit carrier via soldering connections. This connection is exposed to high thermomechanical loads, which may lead to fracture or tearing away of the connections.